Treatment of fabrics



April 27, 1937. GUYLER ET AL 2,078,380

TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed May 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l F/QZ 4V,

ALBERT F- GUYLER WILUAM H- BDALER IN V E NTOHS /Wum ATIDSKNEYS P 1937- A. F. GUYLER ET AL 2,078,380

TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed May 14, 1955 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ALBERT F- GUYLER WlLLlHM H. BDALEH I INVENTORS Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT OF FABRICS- signors to Celanese Corporation of a corporation of Delaware America,

Application May 14, 1935, Serial No. 21,330 In Great Britain May 30, 1934 17 Claims;

This invention relates to the treatment and handling of fabrics, particularly knitted fabrics, and'is'concerned with a novel apparatus for forming a fabric into a roll.

Knitted fabrics, particularly warp knitted fab rics, are apt to curl at the edges, which renders it diflicult to make the fabric into a firm roll.

Curling at the edges is particularly inconvenient when'the fabric is to be doubled, so that the edges may be sewn together to make the fabric into a tube, as is frequently desired for subjecting the fabric to dyeing or other processing operations.

When a fabric is doubled for this purpose, both edges come to one side of the doubled fabric and accentuate the difficulty of rolling the fabric.

Moreover, when the edges'are curled it is impossible to sew them together to form the fabric into a'tube. While the edges of the fabric may be uncurled by hand, the operation is a slow and arduous one.

' vention to provide an apparatus which will effect rolling of the fabric and at the same time uncurl the edges thereof.

According to'the invention, means are provided for winding a fabric into a roll and a'brush is employed which is causedto sweep outwardly across the face of the fabric at its edge so as to u-ncurl the edge as'the fabric proceeds to the winding means. Conveniently, a rotating cirno cular brush is employed which brushes across the face of the fabric and is shielded therefrom except at that part which'is moving inthe desired direction, that is, outwardly across the edge of the fabric. A rod or like pressure member mayconveniently be employed to press the fabric on to the brush and ensure adequate brushing contact.

Where the fabric is being rolled in doubled form with its edges coinciding, e. g. for subsequent sewing into a tube, two circular brushes may be employed, one to uncurl each edge. These may conveniently rotate in the same direction and about the same axis, being disposed back to back and located between the two edges of the folded fabric. Since the fabric curls over towards its back, the brushes will act'on the back of the fabric, the fabric being folded face outwards as is usual.

The operator of the machine feeds the fabric to the brushes, and in doing so is able to adjust the edges so that they coincide. As the edges are uncurled by the action of the brushes, the

fabric is rolled, the uncurling making possible the formation of a neat roll, and enabling the edges to be sewn together in a subsequent opera- It is an object of the present in-' tion to form the fabric into a tube. The rolling of the fabric may take place simultaneously with its inspection and repair (when necessary) ,in which case it is convenient that the fabric should be drawn downwards to the machine from a source above the eye level of the operator. ternatively the fabric may have been inspected in a previous operation; in which case a machine may be employed in which the fabric is drawn upwardly from below, this being especially convenient Where the fabric has not been rolled after inspection but has been allowed to collect in'a heap on, a'tray or in a suitable container.

By way of example two forms of apparatus ac-.

cording to the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of apparatus according to-the invention;

Figs. 2 to. 5 show details of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is aside elevationof a further form of apparatus according to the invention; and

Fig. 7 shows adetail of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 the machine illustrated therein comprises an upright frame Ill carrying at its top-most point a horizontal shaft II which'overhang-s the frame on one side at. I2 and is driven by an electric motor I3 carried by the frame I0. Suitable gears I4 and a chain drive I5 (shown in Fig. 2) are provided to drive the shaft II from the motor I3. The overhanging endIZ of the shaft II is adapted to carry a cardboard tube, shown at 30 in Fig. 4, on which the fabric is to be wound into a roll, the end of the fabric being slipped under a tongue I6 carriedon a collar I'I on'the overhanging part I2 of the shaft II, as shown in Fig. 4.

Extending below and in front of the shaft I2, and in the same direction from the machine frame I0 are two horizontal rods I8, I9 on which is mounted a tubular frame 2ll', the two ends of the tube forming the frame 20' sliding over the ends of the rods l8, I9 and being held in position by spring-loaded plungers, balls ,or other means carried by the rods I8, I9 and engaging with perforations 2| in the tubularframe 20;"

The position of the tubular frame 20 may thus be adjusted in accordance with the width of the fabric to be handled, the frame 20 extending far enough from the machine frame I 0 to accommodate one half of the fabric which is led over it and the other half which passes under it.

Nearthe main frame III of the machine, and between the two rods I8, I9 are two plates '22, 23 of which the upper edges, that is the edges 1 parts of the machine.

nearest the rod 58, are bevelled. The two plates 22, 23 carry between them a pair of circular brushes 2A, 25 (clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3) the brushes being mounted for rotation on a common axis 25 and being back to back so that their bristles face outwards. The bristles are disposed on the faces of the brushes 2%, 25 and near the edges thereof forming a ring of bristles on the face of each brush. Between the two brushes is a worm gear 27 which is engaged by a worm 28 on the end of the motor shaft 29, the motor i3 being so disposed that its shaft 29 passes between the two plates 23. The two plates between which the brushes 24, 25 are mounted mask the greater part of both brushes but leave exposed the part of each brush that is moving outwardly with respect to the fabric, the brushes being rotated in the appropriate direction, that is, anti-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1.

The fabric is folded round the extreme end of the tubular frame 29, the two edges of the fabric being drawn towards the brushes Z4, 25, one over and one under the tubular frame 29 so that the fabric folds at its centre line round the frame 2!). Two rods 3!, 32 are provided, extending from the machine frame it and bent to conform with the shape of the exposed arcs of the brushes 24, 25, the upper edge of the fabric passing between the upper rod 3i and the upper brush 24, while the lower edge of the fabric passes between the lower rod 32 and the lower brush 25 so that each edge is pressed into contact with the appropriate brush by one or other of the rods 3|, 32.

The motor 13 driving the machine is controlled from a pedal 3 mounted on a shaft 35 near the base of the machine, the shaft being connected with a switch box 36 by means of two levers 31, 38 and spring 39 connecting said levers. By this means the initial depression of the pedal 34 switches on the motor it; through the switch box 36. The lever 3'5 also connects the pedal 34 with brush shifting gear if! for adjusting the speed of the motor !3. The con- Y necting mechanism is shown in detail in Fig. 5.

The connection is effected by means of a rod 4! attached at one end to a spring-loaded lever 42 working the brushes of the motor it, while the lower end of the rod 4! passes through a lug 43 on the lever 3'1! and is provided with a pair of lock-nuts i l below the lug By this arrangement, while the initial depression of the pedal 34 switches on the motor l3, the brush shifting gear 43 is not actuated until the lug Q3 reaches the lock-nuts A l and actuates the rod 4|. Further motion of the pedal M, by which the brush shifting gear li! may be actuated'is permitted by the employment of the spring 39 connecting the lever 37 to the switch box 35, the lever 38 directly actuating the switch box 36, reaching its extreme position beforethe lug 43 reaches the locknuts 44 for the operation of the switch gear Mi.

Suitable guards are provided for the moving Thus the driving gear from the shaft 29 to the shaft 1! is protected by means of a guard plate it. The drive to the brushes Z4, 25 is adequately protected by means of the two plates 22, 23. In order, however, to guard as much as possible of the upper rotating brush 24, a circular plate 4? is secured to the lower side of the plate 22, the edges of the plate 41 fitting into an annular groove 53 on the face of the brush 24.

In carrying out the folding operation, which conveniently follows inspection of the fabric, the fabric is drawn from a pile on the floor or from a suitably mounted roll and is folded round a tubular frame 20 at the side of the machine, the frame 20 being adjusted to extend so far that the edges of the fabric reach the rotating brushes 24, 25. The edges pass outside the plates 22, 23 between which the brushes are mounted but inside the rods 3!, 32 adapted to press the edges of the fabric against the brushes. The end of the doubled fabric is slipped under the tongue l6 upon the winding shaft E2, the curl at the end of the fabric conveniently being removed by hand. The operator of the machine then sets the motor I3 in operation by means of the control pedal 34, and the fabric is wound on a cardboard tube on the winding shaft I2. During winding the operator may readily adjust the fabric so that its edges accurately coincide, the

tubular metal frame facilitating this operation by supporting the fabric. The speed control means described with reference to Fig. 5 enables the operator tocompensate for the increasing size of the roller upon which the fabric is being wound so that as the diameter of the roll increases the speed of its rotation may be correspondingly decreased.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is particularly adapted for the rolling of a fabric as a separate operation after it has been inspected.

In Fig. 6 a form of apparatus adapted to effect rolling of the fabric while inspection is taking place is illustrated. In this machine the fabric passes downwardly to a winding member instead of upwardly as in the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5. The fabric may conveniently be drawn from a roll taken direct from the knitting machine on which the fabric is formed, the roll of fabric as it comes from the machine thus being inspected and doubled with its edges uncurled ready for sewing together, in a single rewinding operation.

The machine shown in Fig. 6 comprises a frame near the base of which is mounted a winding shaft 51 driven by suitable gears 52, 53 from a motor 54 as in Fig. 1. The shaft 5| is provided with a tongue 55 by means of which the end of the fabric is secured, similar to the tongue 16 described with reference to Fig. 1.

The frame 55 carries two plates 56, 5! between which are mounted a pair of brushes 58, the brushes being back to back as in Fig. 1 and rotating on a shaft carried in bearings on the plates 55, 51. A worm gear 62 is provided between the brushes 58, and is driven by means of a worm 63 connected by a chain drive 64 to the shaft 5|. A horizontal rod 65 is mounted in a boss 56 in the frame 60 and carries a tubular frame 67 slipped over its end. The frame 61 is secured to the rod 65 by means of a knurled screw 88, and the position of the frame 51 is adjustable by the provision of a number of holes 63 through any of which the screw 68 may pass. Two rods 16, "H are provided to press the edges of the fabric against the brushes 58.

As shown in Fig. 7 the rods 10, H are carried by a plate 12 which is pivotally mounted on the frame 59 at 13. The plate 12 is loaded by means of a spring M and connected by means of a link 15 to a pedal '36. By means of the pedal '15 the pressure of the rods 10, H upon the brushes 58, 59 may be adjusted, the pressure of the rod '36 on the brush 58 being increased while the pressure of the rod 'H on the brush 59 is decreased or vice versa.

The fabric 11 is drawn from a horizontal roll l8 mounted at right angles to the winding shaft 5f on suitable bearings 19. The middle line 81- of the fabric passes over the end of the frame 61' while the two edges 82, 83 pass to the brushes 58, 59 and are pressed upon the brushes by means of the rods 1 0, II. I'he speed of the motor 54 is adjustable through the medium of brush gear 85 and a switch box 86 by means (not shown) similar to those employed with reference to Fig. 1, and operated by means of a pedal similar to and lying behind the pedal 16-. On the top of the frame 5!! is mounted a table 84 to carry small tools, for example implements for repairing the fabric if necessary. The operator of the machine sits to the right of the machine and is able to inspect and if necessary repair the fabric during the rolling operation. By means of the pedal 16, the position of the edges of the fabric may be adjusted, increased pressure by one of the rods H1, I'l upon its corresponding brush causing the edge of the fabric which passes between such rod and brush to be drawn towards the operator, while the other edge is drawn away. In this manner the edges of the fabric may be caused to coincide throughout the rolling operation, while the hands of the operator are left free to carry out any repairs to the fabric which may be necessary, the disposition of the fabric in front of the operator greatly facilitating the process of inspecting and repairing of the fabric.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters. Patent is:-

1. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a flat circular brush adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, means for rotating said brush so that a part thereof that is moving outwards acrosssaid edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, and means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brush except at said'outwardly moving part thereof.

2. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a pair of flat circular brushes adapted tocontact with the surface of the fabric, one brush being at each edge thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that a part of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, and means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof.

3. Apparatus for folding and rolling a fabric, comprising means for winding a doubled fabric into a roll, a frame round which the fabric is adapted to be drawn in doubled form by said windingmeans, a pair of flat circular brushes disposed back to back and adapted to contact with the inner surface of the doubled fabric at the edges thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that a part of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, and means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof.

4. Apparatus for folding and rolling a fabric, comprising means for winding a doubled fabric into a roll, a frame round which the fabric is adapted to be drawn in doubled form by said winding means, means for adjusting the extension of said frame in accordance with the width of the fabric, a pair of fiat circular brushes disposed back to back and adapted to contact with the inner surface of the doubled fabric at the edges thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that a part .of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, and means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof.

5. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a pair of flat circular brushes adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric, one brush being at each edge thereof, meansfor rotating said brushes so that a part of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof, and a pair of rods adapted to press said fabric against the exposed parts of said brushes.

6. Apparatus for rolling. fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a brush adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, a -movab1e rod adapted to press the fabric against said brush, means for moving said rod during running of the apparatus so as to adjust the pressure of said rod against the fabric, and means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric, so as to .uncurl the edge of the fabric as the fabric proceeds to said winding means.

7. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a pair of flat circular brushes adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric, one brush being at each edge thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that apart of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof, a pair of movable rods adapted to press said fabric against the exposed parts of said brushes, and means for moving said rods during running of the apparatus so as to adjust the pressure of said rods against the fabric.

8. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a pair of fiat circular brushes adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric, one brush being at each edge thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that a part of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof, a pair of rods mounted together and capable of simultaneous movement, said rods being adapted to press said fabric against the exposed parts of said brushes, and means for moving said rods during running of the apparatus so as to increase the pressure exerted by one rod against the fabric while reducing that exerted by the other.

9. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a brush adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, and means for controlling the speed of operation of said winding device and said brush.

10. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a pair of flat circular brushes adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric, one brush being at each edge thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that a part of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds to said winding means, means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts thereof, a pair of rods mounted together and capable of simultaneous movement, said rods being adapted to press said fabric against the exposed parts of said brushes, means for moving said rods so as to increase the pressure exerted by one rod against the fabric while reducing that exerted by the other, and means for controlling the speed of operation of said winding device and said brush.

11. Apparatus for winding fabrics, said appara tus comprising a machine frame, means disposed near the base of said frame for winding the fabric into a roll, a pair of flat circular brushes disposed above said winding means and adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric, one brush being at each edge thereof, means for rotating said brushes so that a part of each brush that is moving outwards across an edge of the fabric uncurls said edge as the fabric proceeds downwardly to said winding means, means for shielding the fabric from the action of said brushes except at said outwardly moving parts there of, a pair of rods mounted together and capable of simultaneous movement, said rods being adapted to press said fabric against the exposed parts of said brushes, means for moving said rods so as to increase the pressure exerted by one rod against the fabric while reducing that exerted by the other, means for controlling the speed of operation of said winding device and said brush, and a source of supply of fabric disposed above said brushes so as to feed fabric downwardly past said brushes to said winding device.

12. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding the fabric into a roll, a brush disposed close to said winding means and adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, and means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric immediately before the fabric is wound by said winding means.

13. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a rotatable brush, and means for rotating said brush, said brush being so disposed with respect to said Winding means as to contact with the surface of the fabric near said winding means and to sweep continuously outwards across an edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric immediately before the fabric is wound by said winding means.

14. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a brush disposed close to said winding means and adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, a rod adapted to press the fabric against the said brush, and means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric immediately before the fabric is wound by said winding means.

15. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising means for winding a fabric into a roll, a brush disposed close to and below said winding means and adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, and means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric immediately before the fabric, proceeding upwards to said winding means from a point below said brush, is Wound by said winding means.

16. Apparatus forrolling fabrics, comprising a machine frame, means disposed near the base of said frame for winding a fabric into a roll, a brush carried by said frame close to and above said winding means and adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, and means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric immediately before the fabric, drawn downwards by said winding means past said brush, is wound by said winding means.

17. Apparatus for rolling fabrics, comprising a shaft adapted to carry a fabric tube, means for rotating said shaft so as to Wind a fabric on said tube, a tongue mounted on and parallel to said shaft under which the end of the fabric may be slipped at the beginning of the operation, a brush disposed close to said winding means and adapted to contact with the surface of the fabric at an edge thereof, and means adapted to sweep said brush continually outwards across the edge of the fabric so as to uncurl the edge of the fabric immediately before the fabric is wound by said winding means.

ALBERT FAIRHOLME GUYLER. WILLIAM HENRY BOALER. 

